Innocent

"Innocent" is a single by YouTuber and musical artist beetlebat. It was released on April 8, 2022, as one of the two lead singles from his debut mixtape "Be Dumb Bro." It debuted at No. 2 on the Flex Entertainment Hot 100 before reaching the top spot in its 26th week. It has since become his most popular single and one of the most iconic songs in Flex Entertainment history.

Background
Beetle had been inactive with his YouTube channel since the end of 2021. He hadn't released a song since "Sun Goes Down" in March of 2021 other than a remix of it in May 28th. People were wondering if he had stopped making music entirely. On April 6, 2022, Beetle returned from his hiatus with a trailer titled "MISS ME?" It features Beetle walking around a beach and a hotel in Destin, Florida. At the end of the clip, sirens can be heard with Beetle walking backwards in confusion. The clip cuts to the announcement of the single with the cover art displaying Beetle and his "mugshot." The single would be released on April 8, 2022, at 3 PM eastern time.

The song is a fictional story about Beetle being accused of harassing a woman on the beach. Beetle declares the reasons he is innocent by being a man of faith, the woman having no proof, and his claim of being at the pool when the alleged incident happened. He also claims that the woman knows he has a lot of cash so she knows she could profit. Beetle is declared innocent by the end of the song.

Beetle went into more depth about the song in a vlog he released in Destin. He originally wasn't going to release the song as a lead single but due to complications, he decided it was the best choice. He wanted to create a hype anthem that differs from his more lowkey pop rap material. He was afraid the lyric "Cuz you’re just trying to scam me and be another me too" would raise some ears. He explained that he supported the women who had gone through legitimate harassment and opposed the ones who were faking it to ruin someone's reputation. The song is against the ones who fake these claims.

A remix of the song with Lil Squeaky, Tending Bike, and SWAGMAN67 was released on May 9, exclusively to the Flex Entertainment YouTube channel. The song was performed at Flex Fest 2022.

Chart performance
"Innocent" debuted at No. 2 on the Flex Entertainment Hot 100, becoming Beetle's second-highest charting single and highest debuting as a solo artist. It became Beetle's eighth Top 10 single. In its 26th week, the song finally reached number one after the release of "Be Dumb Bro." It became his fifth number one single. It is also the second longest climb to number one, behind "Trombone Attacc" by Lil Mosquito Disease with 46 weeks. It has spent thirty weeks in the top ten and fifty-three weeks on the chart as a whole. It is the eighth longest charting top-ten entry in the chart's history, spending the most weeks for a 2022 single. It also tied for the fifth longest charting song in the chart's history.

Music Video
The music video for “Innocent” was released on April 8, 2022, alongside the single. It was filmed in Destin, Florida. It features Beetle, a Karen, a judge, and various backup dancers. Beetle poses in several scenes rapping the song. One scene shows Beetle and the Karen at court debating the case. It is declared that Beetle was innocent in the case as the Karen leaves the scene at the end.

The video was well received, amassing three-hundred views and forty likes in twenty-four hours. This makes it his fastest growing video since the music video for "Physics" in 2020. It has two-thousand views as of April 2023.

Critical Reception
The song received mostly positive reviews from critics and fans with some regarding it as a massive improvement of his musical work. However, it was featured on Hip Hop HQ's Worst Rap Songs of 2022 list.

Track Listing
Digital Download - Original
 * 1) Innocent - 2:28
 * 2) Innocent (Remix) (feat. Lil Squeaky, Tending Bike, & SWAGMAN67) - 3:31

Lyrics
[Intro]

Yuh, we're going real hard, you know what I’m saying?

Let’s go (ok)

Ok, ok, ok, ok, ok, ok

[Chorus]

Yeah, I’m innocent, I ain’t do nothing

Don’t you think you gonna even try to do something

Yeah, I’m innocent, I ain’t do nothing

I was having a good day but now you real bugging (ok, ok)

[Verse 1]

I’m sick of this Karen getting all up in my face (what?)

I’m sick of this Karen getting all up in my space (gol dang)

Why you come from me, don’t you know the name? (why?)

You should know it’s beetlebat man, the freshest in the game (ok!)

Tried to claim that I was harassing her on the beach (how?)

But I’m a man of God, this is what I preach (preach!)

I think you should go and take your case and maybe shove it

I ain’t got no time to sit here and waste my time, I know you love it

[Chorus]

Yeah, I’m innocent, I ain’t do nothing

Don’t you think you gonna even try to do something

Yeah, I’m innocent, I ain’t do nothing

I was having a good day but now you real bugging (what)

[Verse 2]

During that time that you claimed I harassed you

I was spending time in the pool with the whole crew

I would never hurt a woman that’s just what I can’t do

Cuz you’re just trying to scam me and be another me too

You know that the cash that I carry is through the roof

Yeah, I might look like a fool but I sure ain’t a goof

You got nothing on me Karen, where is the proof?

Oh wait you had something but it just went poof?

Sure, nobody will go by your word

Can you believe it? This is so damn absurd

Just look at this mess that you have just stirred

Know the judge is shocked by what he just heard

Let’s wrap this thing up, it’s getting too late

I got some other matters that are still on my plate

Now you say that you haven’t been in a good state

Well, I didn’t know being a liar was a personal trait

[Chorus]

Yeah, I’m innocent, I ain’t do nothing

Don’t you think you gonna even try to do something

Yeah, I’m innocent, I ain’t do nothing

I was having a good day but now you bugging (one more time)

Yeah, I’m innocent, I ain’t do nothing

Don’t you think you gonna even try to do something

Yeah, I’m innocent, I ain’t do nothing

I was having a good day but now you bugging (what)

[Outro]

It’s beetlebat, haha